Book Bag: Friendswood Youth Services Blog

It's that time of year again. When the weather turns (just a little bit) cooler and night comes early. When things begin going bump in the dark and you see mysterious shapes out of the corner of your eye! That's right, it's All Hallows Read!  I know it's been a year, so here's a refresher, All Hallows Read is the holiday started by my close personal friend Neil Gaiman in order to share books with people! The official day is October 31st so as you can imagine the books we share are usually scary!  You know you can come in any time to get a good book from me, but I'll be pushing really good creepy/scary books until 10/31, so be on the lookout. Below are a few to get you interested. Seventeen-year-old Evie O'Neill is thrilled when she is exiled from small-town Ohio to New York City in 1926, even when a rash of occult-based murders thrusts Evie and her uncle, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult, into the thic...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! It's finally here! I am dressed as Ms. Frizzle today and Keith is dressed as Waldo (and yes, a TON of people have already 'found' him. :D). Hope you get to see us! The rest of the library staff are also dressed as popular children's book characters. We have Amelia Bedelia, Alice in Wonderland, Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, Hermione Granger, Ladybug Girl, and Jim from Treasure Island. I hope you chose a good book as your choice for All Hallows Read! I gave Fahrenheit 451 (a book about a future where no books are allowed- pretty scary if you ask me!) to someone who doesn't particularly like scary books. So you know there's a 'scary' book out there for everyone! DFTBA, Sti

Have you ever really loved a book? Have you ever wanted to show how much you loved that book by making something? I feel this way a lot. Sometimes this results in awesome crafts and sometimes.....not so awesome crafts. This is the start of a new series' of blog entries called BiblioCraft Corner, all about crafts I (or you) make that are inspired by or created from books! For our inaugural entry, I'd like to share the craft I worked on this weekend. Remember when I blogged about Zita the Spacegirl a few weeks ago? Well, my favorite character is Strong Strong and I really wanted my very own Strong Strong (though maybe not quite so large as he is in the book!), so I decided to make one! I asked the author Ben Hatke if he minded my creating a Strong Strong doll and he was cool with it.  (Strong Strong is the big guy!) Of course then it took me several months to get around to it...but I started it this weekend! Here's what I've got so far. Please keep in mind that ...

Have I made you read Zita the Spacegirl yet? If we've spoken in person, the odds are I've tried! I can't say enough wonderful things about this graphic novel by Ben Hatke. Zita is an impulsive girl whose decision to push a button she finds in a meteorite results in her best friend being pulled through a wormhole to a distant planet. Of course, she has to save him! Along the way she makes some friends, some reluctant allies, and some enemies. Zita the Spacegirl is on this year's Texas Bluebonnet list, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's only a book for kids. It's also on the Maverick Graphic Novel list. I know 4 year olds who love this books and I know 40 year olds who love this book. It truly is an  adventure tale everyone can enjoy. If I have made you read this book and you'll be excited to hear the sequel, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl  is due out soon! You can put it on hold now through the catalog, if you want... Ben was rece...

Did you know  my favorite part of going to the movie theater is watching the previews before the movie starts? That's part of why I love book trailers. They're previews for books! How perfect is that? Here's a fun trailer for Drama by Raina Telgemeier: Enjoy! DFTBA, Sti

I was going to blog about our Teen Summer Reading Club today, but that will have to wait a few minutes. I just heard some heartbreaking news. Author Ray Bradbury has passed away. He was born in 1920 and wrote some of the most amazing, fascinating and beautiful books you will ever read. He is a personal idol of mine and I'm absolutely devastated that he is no longer with us.  His most famous book, Fahrenheit 451 is a powerful dystopian story of a future where books are outlawed. The Martian Chronicles,  a collection of short stories about life of Mars is one the most important science fiction novels ever written, in my opinion. Many of his books were adapted for film (Fahrenheit 351, The Illustrated Man, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suite), tv (an episode of The Twilight Zone, his own television show The Ray Bradbury Theater),  plays, radio programs, and graphic novels. If you're interested in reading some of his work for yourself, I s...

I've seen these videos circulating on the internet, but I wanted to share them here as well since they are so much fun! This one makes me think of Toy Story, but for books! And a montage of libraries in movies and tv shows. Hope you're having a great Friday! DFTBA,  Sti

  In the UK there is a BBC channel that broadcasts children's shows all day (like Nickelodeon or Disney channel but for really little kids). It's called Cbeebies. And the last show every evening is for a bedtime story. Often they have celebrities read the stories. It sounds a bit like Reading Rainbow to me...Anyway! I found out today that most of the cast of Doctor Who has guest starred on it! Here are a few of our favorite people reading books to children, how great is that? Pretty great, if you ask me!                                                             David Tennant (the 10th Doctor)              ...

This week is Teen Read Week 2011, a week that highlights Young Adult books in school and public libraries. You already know that reading is a great hobby to have, it's free, you can do it anywhere, and it's fun! Did you also know that teens who read for fun usually have higher test scores and a re more likely to succeed in the workforce when they're finished with school?* Also, YA books and teen activities are important and deserve their own week of publicity!  The theme this year is "Picture It @ Your Library" so the focus is on graphic novels (one of my favorite things ever!) and other books that invite you to view the world in new and creative ways through literature. In conjunction with the 'Picture It' theme, there is a photography contest you can enter! Create a visual version of your favorite book's title. The guidelines are here: 2011 Teen Read Week Photo Contest. The deadline is Oct. 31. You can submit your photo(s) from home, or wor...

Looking for new book recommendations and a way to connect with YA authors? Check out ThisIsTeen on facebook for lots of resources. You can: Participate in weekly author Q&As Use the author and book gallery and book finder to find new books that interest you Read excerpts from books Enter contests And questions and discuss books Explore videos and events Just looking around for a few minutes I can already see that this will be a great place to see what other teens are reading and enjoying. Head over to facebook and 'like' them to get started! So you know, I approve and so does Snape: DFTBA, Sti

It's that time again, the week set aside to bring attention to the problem of censorship. It is the 'only national celebration of the freedom to read.' The Banned Book Week website has lots of great information including information about their big project this year, a Virtual Read Out where you can film yourself reading excerpts from your favorite challenged or banned book and upload them to youtube. Here's one from a reading of The Giver by Lois Lowry This week I'll be posting articles on banned book week, some of these cool videos, and maybe some of our own? DFBTA, Sti

I know it summer hasn't ended outside, but inside it's all new backpacks and sharpened pencils. School has started! Whether you're excited about this or not (you should tell me how you feel in the poll in the side bar!), it's happening. So why not mark the beginning of the new year by playing some video games with us on Tuesday, joining the Teen Advisory Group on Thursday, and creating things out of duct tape on Friday? In other news, there is an important birthday today! Ray Bradbury is 91 today! Ray Bradbury has written at least one book you'llprobably read for school- Fahrenheit 451 along with many many other wonderful, beautiful books. He's written important science fiction books like The Martian Chronicles. He's written terrifying horror stories like Something Wicked This Way Comes. He's written books of magical realism like Now and Forever: Somewhere a Band is Playing. And he's written everything in between. He's written so m...

Finished a book you really liked and wondering what to read next? There are a few things you could do. You could ask me, I'm always happy to help! Browse our shelves Check out this blog Type the name of a book you enjoyed here for some suggestions: What Should I Read Next? Type a few subjects you like into Novelist and see what it suggests: Novelist Sign up for email updates on your favorite genres here: NextReads Reading Suggestions

Hey all, sorry it's been so long since I've blogged! Fall has been running away from me, but here I am with a few fun things you may like. First, a few of my favorite Halloween books: The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury : This slightly creepy story follows a group of friends out trick or treating. When their friend is abducted, they chase through time and place with the help of the mysterious Mountshroud to save him--learning about the origins of Halloween throughout the world. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury: What can I say, I love this guy! This one is about 2 friends and a terrifying carnival that comes to their town. Sooo creepy! The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare: This book isn't technically a Halloween book, but it is about witches...well a witch trial anyway. After her grandfather dies, Kit travels from the Caribbean islands to live with her Puritan aunt and uncle in Connecticut. Her differences make her an outsider which ups...

The American Library Association's (ALA) annual Teens' Top Ten has started! You can vote everyday until September 17 Vote here: Teens' Top Ten And then tell me what you voted for in the comments!

You know all about star-crossed lovers, don't you? You've heard of Romeo and Juliet. You've heard of Jack and Rose. You know all about Bella and Edward. All couples who are kept apart by warring families, different social statuses, natural disasters, and even life and undead-ness. On this day in 1536, Anne Boleyn second wife of King Henry VIII of England was beheaded by her husband. Not exactly romantic, right? Most people would agree. It had only been a few years since Henry had split with the Catholic church and started his own religion The Church of England so that he could divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne (who refused to become his mistress, she would only be his queen). That's a little more romantic, right? To some people, maybe. Other people through out history have hated on Anne Boleyn for being a home wreaker, but she ended up just being the first in a long line of ill-fated women to marry Henry VIII-- all in his pursuit to have a male ...

Thought I'd post a video of the food challenge we had a couple weeks (or was it months?) ago. This is our attempt (successful by a few people) to eat 6 Saltine crackers in 60 seconds. We also attempted to eat a spoonful of cinnamon, eat a piece of white bread in under 45 seconds and we played Fluffy Bunny. It was a fun, messy, and hilarious day that I'm getting hungry just thinking about! As a segue into books, here are a few YA books that deal with food: Cooking Up a Storm by Sam Stern What's cooking? An enthusiastic young chef shares his teen-tested tips and recipes for everything from breakfast to dinner, desserts to brain-boosting snacks. A kid's gotta eat -- and what better way to make sure that the food on your plate hits the spot than to make it yourself? Dear, Julia by Amy Bronwen Zemser Shy sixteen-year-old Elaine has long dreamed of being the next Child, to the dismay of her feminist mother, but when her first friend, the outrageous Lucida Sans, con...

Oof! Round Two has officially closed and boy was it a tough round! I know that many of you were faced with the moral dilemma of choosing between two favorite books, and I'm sorry about that, but rest assured that means you have awesome taste in books! Here are the final scores: Shiver: 50.90909% Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie: 40.0901% Lightning Thief: 71.4% Maximum Ride: 28.6% Little Brother: 19.6% Hunger Games: 80.4% Artemis Fowl: 45.6% Eragon: 54.4% Round 3 pits Shiver vs. Lightning Thief and Hunger Games vs. Eragon May the best book win!

Well, Round 1 ended yesterday, I hope you were all able to come in and vote for your favorites! There were some EXTREMELY close calls, but these are the winners and who they will go up against each other in Round 2 (which will end March 27th). Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 65% vs. I am the Messenger by Marcus Zusack 35% Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick 57% vs. Graceling by Kristin Cashore 43% Cezanne is Missing by Frank McMillan 4% vs. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan 96% Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson 58% vs. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld 42% Paper Towns by John Green 47% vs. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow 53% Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 71% vs. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare 29% A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray 25% vs. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer 75% Eragon by Christopher Paolini 77% vs. Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock 23% Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater vs. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick The Lightning...

"It's exciting! You should participate!" ~Lisa, our video editing guru Here's how it goes, the Teen Advisory Group has chosen their 16 favorite YA books and we're going to find out which is the rest of the library's favorite! The books are paired up, vote for your favorite of each pair and turn it in in the ballot box. If you haven't read the books, no worries! We've got 'scouting reports' with some info about the books as well as some reviews by TAG members for you to watch (I'll be posting those here soon)! So come in and vote every week as the books battle it out! Here's the list of contenders for this week: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater vs . I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick vs . Graceling by Kristin Cashore Cezanne is Missing by Frank McMillan vs. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Maximum Ride: The Angel Experi...